Lent column: With all thy mind

Larry Eskridge Daily Ledger Reporter @LarryEskridge

Wednesday

Mar 7, 2018 at 10:27 AM

There are two charges regularly leveled against Christianity.

“The first of all the commandments is ‘Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength’; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ There is none other commandment greater than these.”

There are two charges regularly leveled against Christianity.

One is hypocrisy. The other is stupidity.

Let’s face it. Christians are generally accounted to be stupid by non-Christians. We are supposed to have childlike faith and denounce anything not found in Scripture (as we interpret them) or which apparently contradicts the teachings of the traditional faith. No matter what the evidence is, Christians have to overlook evolution or psychological theories about homosexuality or global warming or vaccination because they apparently contradict Christianity, or at least the Christianity taught by those in charge. And, of course, we are never to question those in charge because we are supposed to be obedient to the spiritual leaders God has placed over us.

And we are supposed to do so without thinking.

But is that actually the case? Do you have to check your brain at the door when you go into a church?

So why did Jesus command us to worship God with all our mind?

Let’s take a few minutes and look at Christianity with our minds.

Intellectually we know every religion has a version of the Golden Rule, “do unto others.” So why is Christianity any different from any other religion, or most non-theistic philosophies which also teach a variation of the rule? After all, we know what to do. Everyone tells us that and we agree.

But if we all agree, why do we continue to do the opposite?

Christianity alone of the major religions and philosophies teaches that just because we know what we are supposed to do does not mean that we will automatically do it. In fact, Christianity teaches we are incapable of doing what we know we are supposed to do.

To be logical we have to test a hypothesis to make sure it conforms to reality. Does Christianity’s hypothesis meet that test?

All you have to do is pick up a newspaper or listen to a news broadcast. Or read a history book or a psychology text. Or watch ourselves. We know the right way but we deliberately ignore it in order to put a step ahead of the others, to get what we want. And we do it naturally. So logically the Christian hypothesis fits. We can’t or won’t do the right thing.

And how are we saved? Religion says we need to perform the right actions for salvation. We must perform the correct rituals exactly. We must practice the right duties, especially charitable duties. We have to say the right prayers. We have to confess our sins regularly. We have to live up to our side of the bargain. Many Christians maintain the same. So why should Christianity be the only true way if everyone else says the same?

Christianity is unlike any other religion in that it says there is nothing people can do to save themselves. It must be done for them by Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. The only thing we can do is accept it or not. When we perform good works, true charity, as Christians, it is not to win God’s acceptance, approval or salvation. Rather, it is a sign we have received salvation and a thanksgiving for that salvation.

But other religious traditions speak of a savior dying for the world. The Hindu tradition, for example, has a savior story which exactly parallels the Christian story. Doesn’t that mean that the Christian message is not unique?

A universal story means there is a universal reason for it. It reflects either an something which has happened or people need to happen. The call for a savior seems to be hard wired in us. Granted, just because everyone wants something doesn’t mean what we want exists. But if that want is not satisfied and we find we can do without it, that want usually disappears. If it continues, there is a reason.

And that Hindu savior? Hinduism teaches that all sentient beings, from lowly animals to the gods, are part of a greater soul which unites them all. The Hindu savior is saving himself as well as others. In the Christian tradition, Jesus is not being saved. We are. He does not need salvation. We do. He only gains the love of beings who should love Him anyway. We gain everything.

Naturally there are people who will disagree with all of this. They will be able to cite logical errors I have fallen into, gaps in my logic. And I am happy to listen to them. In fact, such arguments against my arguments have a beneficial effect on my own faith. They open me up to ideas I had not considered.

Many Christians, however, simply shut their minds when confronted with ideas which don’t agree with their own, or what they were taught. Any sort of compromise is blasphemy, conforming to the world. They know what they know and will not be persuaded otherwise.

The Bible is full of people like these. They are the friends of Job who came to comfort him and tell him how he was wrong. They are also the ones Job had to pray for so God wouldn’t destroy them.

They are the religious leaders who told King Herod where the newborn Christ could be found. This led to the Slaughter of the Innocents in Bethlehem.

They are the Pharisees and leaders of the Sanhedrin who questioned Jesus and were shut down every time. And they were the ones who demanded the pagan Romans crucify Him.

They are the ones who were convinced they knew God’s will and were working for Him.That, by the way, is where the hypocrisy comes in.

One leading teacher was asked what he would advise Christians to seek after, God or the truth.

The leader replied, “Truth. Because if you find truth, you will find God.”

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